New edition just published! Order from publisher or Amazon


The Forever Fix: Gene Therapy and the Boy Who Saved It (324.0KB)
flyer / handout

Tags

Glenn Nichols, surrounded by his hospice team. The author is in yellow.

Archives

Genetic Linkage

Sequencing the Genomes of Dead People

October 16, 2015

Tags: DNA, bioethics, sequencing, human genome, ASHG

Last Wednesday, at “Career Night” during the American Society of Human Genetics annual conference in Baltimore, I was stationed next to Robert Steiner, MD, from the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation in Wisconsin. With young scientists circling us like electrons around nuclei, I never got the chance to break away to talk to him. But I did overhear him discussing the Genomic Postmortem Research Project, an effort to sequence the genomes of 300 dead people.

I was fascinated.

Would knowing the information encoded in the DNA of the deceased have changed their health care? I went to the talk on the project the next day to find out about this clever test of the value of genome sequencing. (more…)

Be the first to comment

instruction
Project to engage students in helping families with rare genetic diseases
Book Club Reader's Guide
Many challenging questions to stimulate thought and discussion.
Instructor's Guide
38 discussion questions to get students thinking and talking about gene therapy, including the science, ethical issues, and the drug approval process.
Narrative science
The Forever Fix is the uplifting true story of 8-year-old Corey Haas, who was cured of hereditary blindness just 4 days after gene therapy.
College Textbooks
A spectacularly-illustrated, clearly written human anatomy and physiology textbook, used in pre-health profession programs throughout the U.S.
A highly engaging, clearly written, beautifully illustrated introduction to the science of human genetics for the non-scientist. Now in its 11th edition, 12th to be published in September 2018.
Nonfiction
An ideal starting point for anyone who wants to know more about genes, DNA, genomes, and the genetic ties that bind us all.

Quick Links

NPR WOSU Public Media
The Science of Gender Identity (All Sides with Ann Fisher)
DNA Science blog posts at Public Library of Science
My weekly blog posts at DNA Science cover breaking genomics news, often as personal stories, historical perspective, or looking ahead.
NORD Breakthrough Summit
Personalizing Medicine - Hannah's Story
TEDx Talk
Genetics and Reproduction: How Far Should We Go?
Interview with Filament Communications
Ricki Lewis on the Difference Between Writing About Science and Science Writing
CBC radio program about "The Forever Fix: Gene Therapy and the Boy Who Saved It"
Quirks and Quarks, Canadian Broadcasting Company, 12/22/12
The Forever Fix Critic Ratin
A one-hour interview, mostly about why gene therapy has been beneath the radar.
Answers for the Family (http://answers4thefamilyblog.com) on www.LATalkRadio.com
Voiceamerica radio show
Kathryn Vox radio show, including "The Forever Fix"
Publishers Weekly starred review
first advance review for The Forever Fix
Authors Guild
Advocates for published authors since 1912